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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. kid — to tease
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. net — in sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. rash — hasty
  20. kid — child
  21. net — for catching
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com